The Coachella Valley Arena in Palm Desert is no longer a concept. The $300 million project is for real now, with ground broken, concrete poured, steel beams delivered.
Large cranes will be visible on the site off Interstate 10 by the end of the year.
The arena is expected to be completed by late fall 2022. Later this year, season tickets will go on sale for the ice hockey team that will play in the new arena, affiliated with the National Hockey League's Seattle Krakens.
There will be a community ice rink as well, a cool, soothing form of recreation in the middle of the desert.
"We Got The Heat.Bring On The Ice," says a catchy phrase on the arena website.
"Back in March, the only ice rink in the Coachella Valley closed," said John Bolton, the arena's general manager.
Ice Hockey is surpringly popular in the valley, said Bolton.
"A lot of Canadians call the Coachella Valley home either full time or during season," he said. "It's really great that the hockey season falls in line with the typical tourist season from November through March and April."
The name of the team will be announced this fall, Bolton said.
Coachella Valley residents might also be pleased to know that no tax dollars are being used for the arena construction.
"It's a privately funded arena," said Bolton, senior president with the company building the facility, the Oakview Group. "That's certainly unusual. Most of the arenas I've been in throughout my career have been publicly financed or funded through some type of fundraising campaign where people donated money for the building to be constructed."
The arena will also host concerts and other events year-round as the valley transitions from a season city to a place where people visit and live year-round, said Bolton.
"Hopefull it will spur restaurants to stay open year round and to stay open later than their typical hours," he said. "In the area where we are located off I-10 there are about 400 acres that are undeveloped. We feel like our project will drive future development in Palm Desert."
The arena will seat 11,000 people.
"It's a really fantastic atmosphere for really feeling close to the action, whether for hockey or a concert," Bolton said. "It will really be a great-sized venue to be enjoy the action."
